River Restoration| Whakaora Awa

Te Awaawa Stream Project 2017- 2020

The Ngāti Pāhauwera Development Trust are very pleased to announce that we were successful in receiving funding for improvement of the Te Awaawa Stream (the stream on the other side of Tawhirirangi) in Mohaka. The project is a $600,000 project and the freshwater improvement fund from the Ministry of the Environment who is contributing $300,000 over three years. “The aim is to make the biggest difference with the available funding. That’s why the fund is focusing on water bodies in vulnerable catchments that are showing signs of stress but have not yet reached a ‘tipping point’. This is when it becomes more expensive and more difficult to restore these water bodies to good health”. (MFE, 2017)

The Te Awaawa Stream and its catchment have been identified by Ministry for the Environment as being a vulnerable catchment.

The Ngāti Pāhauwera Development Trust own land on both sides of the coastal end of the stream, leasing the northern side for forestry. Upstream are different/multiple owners including the Trust. The Trust think that this is a great project and we have experience in river restoration. We will use those skills to bring the health of the catchment back by uplifting the mauri of the Te Awaawa Stream by undertaking cultural monitoring, stock exclusion fencing, landowner liaison, riparian planting, habitat restoration and providing educational and cultural opportunities to our members and the local community. Because of the upcoming forestry harvest we have been advised that the health of the stream will decline before it improves. Hawkes Bay Regional Council and the Department of Conservation will work with us and give advice on different aspects and at different phases during this project.

“This mahi is part of ongoing work for river, lake and tributary restoration in the Pāhauwera rohe. The Trust purchased land at Sim’s road in 2016 which includes part of Tawhirirangi and below the mouth of the Te Awaawa Stream is Takauere (part of Pittars Conservation Area) which was given back in Treaty Settlement, it is a valuable project to link these areas together”, says CEO Robin Hape.

There are many other good reasons to restore this stream including proximity to archaeological sites, proximity to our maunga Tawhirirangi but also as a learning tool to manage the rest of our lands which have similar geology and issues. We look forward to working with and involving the Mohaka community in this project.

From Tawhirirangi looking towards Napier

Fresh Start for Fresh Water River Restoration Project 2013-2017

The Ministry of Environment provided Ngāti Pāhauwera $2 million dollars to work towards river restoration of the Mohaka, Waihua and Waikare Rivers and their tributaries. This was negotiated alongside settlement under the Fresh Start for Fresh Water fund. As well as the Ministry of Environment, the Hawkes Bay Regional Council, the Department of Conservation, Wairoa District Council, Ngā Whenua Rāhui and the Ministry of Social Development have all given fantastic support to the project. The local community, landowners and those who have been affected by the project have also been positive and were behind the project.

Kuki Green, currently our Kaitiaki Supervisor for the River Restoration and former Trustee, has worked on the river restoration from the very beginning. We had a team of fencers and workers who have fenced over 40km of riparian fencing over the project. The project also involved the set up of a native nursery, and planting of native filter plants that will provide shade and filter out unwanted pollutants before they reach the water.

This project has already had many great community outcomes including improvement of fencing at Marae and Urupa, protection of land from pests and the ability for landowners to make land productive. In 2014, as part of this project, the Ngāti Pāhauwera Development Trust partnered with the Department of Conservation and the Ministry of Social Development to successfully complete the Pilot Youth in Conservation Project. Nine of the 11 DOC Cadet participants moved into employment as a result of this programme.

Issues that the project has to overcome are boundary negotiation with multiple landowners and multiple owned land, dense bush and invasive weeds, steep or eroded land. If stock are no longer able to access the rivers for water, the river restoration project accesses other water supplies, like troughs, pipes and tanks. Where possible we collaborate with landowners and the community to get the best possible solution.

Hikoi One

On the 27th of February 2016 a group of interested Ngāti Pāhauwera members were taken on a hikoi around the Mohaka and Raupunga area to showcase the River Restoration project, it was an opportunity to provide some history and for attendees to ask questions and meet Ngāti Pāhauwera Development Trust staff working on the project. We are working with landowners to fence and plant the tributaries of the rivers in our rohe. This hikoi took us to Kahungunu Marae, Rawhiti Station, Mangawhārangi Stream, Ononi, Mangapikopiko stream (Winiana Block), Mangatūranga Stream, Tunnel Flat, Hodges Block, Mohaka Basin and Mohaka River. The weather was fantastic and it was a very enjoyable day. The Trust would like to thank Kahungunu Marae for hosting us, the speakers for sharing their knowledge and the attendees for their time.

Hikoi Two

On the Saturday 19 March 2016 another group of interested Ngāti Pāhauwera members were taken on a hikoi around the Mohaka and Raupunga area to showcase the River Restoration project, it was an opportunity to provide some history and for attendees to ask questions and meet Ngāti Pāhauwera Development Trust staff working on the project.

We are working with landowners to fence and plant the tributaries of the rivers in our rohe. This hikoi took us to Kahungunu Marae, Te Kawanga-O-Kahungunu (Mohaka A2), Rawhiti Station, Mangawhārangi Stream, Ononi, Mangapikopiko stream (Winiana Block), Mangatūranga Stream and Pa Pirau, this is where we had a group photo taken. The weather was fantastic and it was a very enjoyable day. The Trust would like to thank Kahungunu Marae for hosting us, the speakers for sharing their knowledge and the attendees for their time.